Police departments are increasingly deploying technologies to both collect evidence and improve officer accountability. Examples of these technologies include video and audio recording equipment in police cars. There is also a desire to track the status and location of officers' firearms.
A known example of a system for tracking and monitoring an officer's weapon is the Weapons Intelligent Tracking System by Portman Security Systems. At least some aspects of the system are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/187,110. The firearm tracking portion of the system is a Global Positioning System (GPS) locator that attaches to the universal rail of any firearm, rifle, or pistol. The locator sends automatic report stamped with time and GPS data when a weapon is drawn and each time it is fired. The device also reports on incoming gunfire. However, because the locator is a firearm accessory part whose removal does not affect operation of the firearm, an officer or an unauthorized user of the firearm could easily temporarily or permanently remove it while continuing to use the firearm. Furthermore, the locator cannot be used with a firearm that lacks a universal rail.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a firearm accessory part that disables the firearm when removed and that has its tracking capability activated when the firearm is removed from its storage location.